breakeven

noun

break·​even ˈbrāk-ˈē-vən How to pronounce breakeven (audio)
: the point at which cost and income are equal and there is neither profit nor loss
also : a financial result reflecting neither profit nor loss

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of breakeven was in 1958

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Cite this Entry

“Breakeven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breakeven. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

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